I sighed and raised my hand up to cup my face. Lucia wore her tights last night while she was on duty, so when she came back to sleep at dawn, she stripped down completely and crawled into my bed. Normally, I’d be up and done with breakfast by this hour, but today, Lucia was still angry at me as she persistently held me down.

To ensure that I’d live to see today, I locked my door and pulled my bedside table over to block it. When mom went to get changed last night, I noticed her eye colour was still strange so I was a bit concerned. However, mom didn’t launch a surprise attack on me last night. Lucia, on the other hand, was now glued to me.

While hugging me around my neck, Lucia angrily complained: “First it was the elf from over there, and now it’s the queen… I’m your fiancée, yet you don’t care about me…”

“How do you want me to show that I care about you then?”

If I asked that to a girl from my world I came from, she’d definitely complain that I’m not romantic. But the reality is, I truly don’t know what the life of an engaged couple is meant to be like. I’ve never even had a girlfriend, so how do you expect me to know how to date Lucia? All I currently think about is to do the things that would make Lucia happy.

Lucia thought about it for a moment and then replied: “You have to spend time with me during the hour at noon every day.”

I waited for her to continue, but she just looked at me with her sleepy eyes, waiting for me to respond. I couldn’t believe what I heard as I looked at her. I hesitated for a moment before asked: “Is that all?”

“Yeah. That hour is mine. I’m out of perfume too, so I want to go get a new bottle. I don’t want to go to those stores this time. I want to go to that lady’s place. She’s the best at making perfumes! And you’re paying, your highness! And then… And then I want to go have some rabbit thighs at that place, and buy a bottle of beer while we’re there. You’re paying, your highness! After that… If we still have time, I want to go see if there are any clothes to buy. You’re paying, your highness!”

Lucia’s expression brightened up. She extended her finger out and motioned as she mentioned the things she wanted. Her expression eased up a bit like a kid that was planning his holiday out.

“Alright.”

I let out a sigh of relief. Elves sure are simple and cute. You don’t have to try and guess what’s on their mind. If you don’t know, you just have to ask. Elven girls also don’t put on airs or acts, so it’s really simple to interact with them. As a result, it makes it easier for me to hit on girls as the newborn prince.

Lucia and Nier are different. Lucia is really easy-going. She’s the same as every normal girl. She’s responsible for protecting me, but there doesn’t seem to be anybody who’d attack me here. And that’s because the elves worship the queen, and they don’t have any demands. Elves don’t seem to have a wealth and social hierarchical grading system. They don’t pursue wealth or covet power.

What elves care about is blood lineages being purely elven blood. They strongly value it. Further, though those with a stronger blood lineage are considered superior to those with weaker blood lineages, I’ve seen the eight elders and merchants bargain with each other. It looks like elves are strongly united. Those with strong blood lineages must serve the elves – the queen included, while the other elves are happy to contribute their part.

The elves don’t employ a tax system. The nation’s funds come from the donations made at the annual festival. I heard they place three large boxes there and the elves can donate as much as they choose. The queen then splashes blessed holy water onto the donators.

I wonder if I can attend the annual festival… I’m not sure because when it’s held hasn’t been determined… The big ceremony is held when snow first falls…

“It’s a promise then!”

Lucia, who was mad just a moment ago, was now smiling gleefully and hopped off the bed without a care in the world over the fact that she was nude. She stood by the window and stretched her body out. She then slowly fumbled through my wardrobe and took out a skirt, corset… Wait!! Isn’t there something wrong about this?! Why?! Why are your clothes in my wardrobe?!

“Hey, Lucia… Can I ask you a question? Why are your clothes in my wardrobe?”

“It would be bothersome to return to my place to change in the morning when I sleep here. And so, I brought my clothes over.” Lucia casually wore on her corset, but she didn’t tighten it to an extreme degree like I thought she would, and then tied up the ribbon at the back. She then equipped her dagger to her waist properly and then put on her stockings…

“STOP!!”

Lucia turned around. She sat by the corner of the bed with her white stockings and looked at me dissatisfied, and asked: “What is it, your highness?”

“Get dressed slowly, let me watch…”

The stockings in this era aren’t as well-made as ones in the modern era, but they were still quite good. I watched Lucia pull her stockings up her jade-like calves, and then watched as they emphasised the outline of her legs. As she pulled her white stockings up, I could see the shape of her heel and her toes…

My god, this is too stimulating for a virgin.

“What’s the matter?”

Lucia looked at me who looked like he just got hit with a bullet and fell down with puzzlement. I weakly waved my hand and said: “Thank you so much, Lucia…”

“Huh?”

Lucia was completely confused. I didn’t say anything, and instead thought to myself whether I should get Nier to wear some when I return to humanity… Nah… I don’t think someone like Nier who wears military uniforms and carries a long sword would accept something like that. So who should I get to wear them on then? Luna? Ah… I’ve already seen an elf wear them…

Only Nier comes to mind!!

I was a failure with humanity. If it were another main male protagonist of another novel, he’d probably have a harem by now… As for me, I’ve only got one elf that I save who treats me with dignity.

The queen was absent in the morning. I heard that she left the palace to discuss some matters. I felt conflicted and in the end, I didn’t have the guts to jump over the walls and leave. I reckon Lucia no longer dared to either… So I rode around on a horse on the lawns at the back of the palace with Lucia and passed the imperial guards training camp on the way. The archery and swordsmanship displayed by the elves amazed me once again. If I had the option of forming my own bodyguard unit, I’d choose the elves over the Valkyries.

“Your highness!”

A squad of imperial cavalry guards riding their horses stopped by our side. The female knight who led the group dismounted and saluted us. I noticed she wore three bird feathers on her head and recognised that she was a minor captain. She raised her head to look at me. I have to say, she looked pretty good… Lucia was looking at me… I gently cleared my throat and then asked: “Cavalry training?”

She looked at me then pointed to the battle steed behind her. I looked at it and something felt odd. You’re elves, not humans. Shouldn’t elves ride griffins, flying dragons or something? If you ride horses as well, then you aren’t very elf-like, right?

“Do you ride Earth Dragons?”

I suddenly had a weird thought… What the hell am I thinking? They’re the only beasts I know of…

The female captain kept silent as she looked at me bewildered. She then hesitantly asked: “Ride Earth Dragons…? Why do we have to ride Earth Dragons?”

“Can’t you?”

“It is not that we cannot… But rather, no one has had that thought before… However… However, if we could tame the Earth Dragons, then I think we could control them.”

I nodded and made way so they could ride their horses away. I watched their backs as they were in deep thought. I completely understand the fear of the previous attack from the Earth Dragons. The Earth Dragons are also almost impervious to blades. And to defend against arrows and spears, we could just equip them with a chest plate and helmet. We could also fix blades to their sharp horns, practically turning them into assault-castles! I could even link a few of them together and create an Earth Dragon chariot. That shit would be heaps more powerful than a horse chariot!

Hmm, we need to make use of the Earth Dragons. But I’ll need to go to the human nation, purchase tamed Earth Dragons and then ship them here to the elf nation…

At noon, Lucia and I returned to the interior of the palace and silently ate at lunch at the lunch table. I noticed that Lucia was absent-minded, just like a kid that was about to start his holidays.